ETHNIC CLASHES MUST STOP, SIKA

NCD Metropolitan Superintendent Silva Sika has appealed to the residents of the nation’s capital to respect each other and stop ethnic clashes.

Sika made this appeal following an increase in ethnic clashes within the city in recent weeks. In one of the clashes on Sunday (February 26), a quick response by Gordon Police Station Commander (PSC) Inspector Gabriel Kini and support units stopped an ethnic clash between people from two highlands provinces at Five Mile.

Sika added that there were two ethnic clashes reported during the weekend which police are investigating. He said one was at Derekone Gereka. The fight was between a group of people from Tari (Hela Province) and another group of people from Western Highlands. 

He said the Six-mile police station commander and support units brought both fighting parties to the Six Mile police station where they were strongly warned not to fight again. 

“The city is growing fast with many illiterate, moving into the city who cannot respect the other residents of the city. The police are doing their part to make sure that there is peace and good order in the community,” Sika said. “We do not have the power to just go and evict people but can do that if there is a court order.”

For the fight at Five Mile, the Gordon PSC said the fight was between one group of people from Eastern Highlands and another from Enga.

It was reported that four men believed to be from Enga boarded a taxi that was driven by an Eastern Highlander. They were picked up at the Ponderosa Hotel and asked to be dropped off at the Wildlife 
Wreckers Second Block at Erima.

At the destination, the men allegedly attacked the taxi driver. Members of the public intervened and helped the driver who made his way out and escaped to where his relatives lived at Five Mile.

PSC Kini said apparently the attack on the Taxi driver was related to an earlier incident at Five Mile where some Eastern Highlanders and Engans fought. People were injured in this fight and properties were damaged. Police have yet to establish a connection between these two incidents.

The two parties have been warned not to resort to physical violence and register their grievances with the law instead.

Author: 
Loop Author